The Free Marches are a union of independent city-states in the eastern half of the center of Thedas. Located across the Waking Sea from Ferelden, the eleven cities that make up the coalition almost all sit on the coast of that sea, the Amaranthine Ocean, or along the Minanter River. Most gained their independence during the chaos after Andraste invaded Tevinter and was subsequently slain, but many have been retaken and had to rebel all over again at least once in the centuries since then. Starkhaven is the largest city of the eleven, while Kirkwall is the most important economically. The city-states are usually bickering amongst themselves, but they are quick to unite when a larger country threatens any of its members. Individually, each city would be crushed by any of the nations of Thedas, but once combined, their army is a force to be reckoned with. The people of the Free Marches are hard to pin down, since their origins are vast and varied, but a sense of freedom is, as you might expect, common. I am actually from the Free Marches, but am not technically a Free Marcher. Being Dalish, my clan traveled through the wilderness between the cities and generally avoided the civilized areas themselves. The Inquisition never had a true presence in the Free Marches, but we did communicate and deal with several of them during the fight against Corypheus. My clan was embroiled in a sinister plot near Wycome, for example, which we were thankfully able to solve without them being wiped out. Obviously, my connection to Varric, and thus to the current Champion of the city, means I know the most about Kirkwall out of all of them, but I have yet to actually travel to any of the eleven. Except, hang on, I think I visited a strange shop near Kirkwall, or maybe in Kirkwall… Under Kirkwall? Wherever it was, I can’t recall much more than that… An old man, a basket of socks, a tiny bear, maybe? I just can’t remember, it must have just been a dream, I guess.